Say My Name
by 5ive
Summary: Exploring what Chris and Piers went through after China, and what it all means for them both. Piers also made it out of the underwater facility, but the road to recovery is long and uncertain. Their relationship naturally evolves through everything, but in what direction? Chris x Piers slash, so far rated M for language. Some angst/hurt along the way, with a happy ending.
1. Chapter 1

**July 2014**

_First meeting_

Chris remembers way back when they met, when Chris was just starting to feel tired of the gig and losing people at 36 and Piers was barely 21, eager to remind him of what Chris would be losing were he to give up the life of a military man. Not that the B.S.A.A. would have wanted to hear if it if Chris tried anyway, they were the ones constantly pushing him to find new recruits. That was when and where Piers came in - young and ambitious, dedicated and ready to serve under Chris with overwhelming loyalty.

"I know I don't have much prior training" Piers had said, eyes boring into Chris', firm and fierce in their intensity "But I am ready to remedy that over and over until I am your equal in combat, captain."

Chris hadn't really bothered to remind Piers then that he still wasn't his captain. What the point in that have been when he fully intended to recruit Piers that very night, with a phonecall short and sweet enough to make you wonder if it had actually happened. Chris had been in the middle of following formal B.S.A.A procedures when his question of whether or not Piers wanted to join had been interrupted by a cheeky "Of course, captain Redfield, I am surprised you have any doubts about my wanting this. I thought I'd made it clear I don't want anything more than I want this." Chris had scoffed under his nose at his own inability to argue with that. If the kid was arching for a life mission, who was Chris to deny him one.

_First Moment_

Chris remembers when Piers had come to save him from his miserable life in Edonia. He even remembers not remembering any of his past at that point. Chris remembers living an empty life and the role Piers played in pushing him back into working for the B.S.A.A. The kid was relentless and harsh in his successful attempts to make Chris snap out of his haze of self pity and drinking, always ready to call him out on his bull shit. There was no question that Chris admired Piers' determination as much as he loathed it at that time. Now he just admires it. Piers had saved him from himself then, and in the following weeks had repeatedly saved him from himself over and over at the expense of his own pride and ego. Looking back at their time in China now, Chris wonders how come a kid of 25 was better able to manage his emotions than Chris himself was.

He sometimes wonders how he would have held onto his sanity had it not been for Piers' constant reminders of the man Chris was supposed to be - "the great Chris Redfield". The young man had forced Chris to acknowledge the duty he had to his team, to their mission, the duty he had to himself to leave the messy drunk behind in Edonia and to move on to be a captain focused and responsible enough to follow through.

And he had followed through, hadn't he? Ada Wong was defeated, even as she left questions unanswered behind, Haos was defeated, as impossible as it may have seemed at one point to do so. Chris remembers having a better grasp of his priorities during Piers' sacrifice and often ponders what more he could have done to save his partner. How much kinder he should have been to Piers in those last moments, or perhaps how much angrier. To this very day, he doesn't know if the kid needed to be ordered into surviving, tricked into it, or seduced. What approach could have Chris taken at that faithful moment to have Piers join him into the escape pod.

_First Kiss_

Chris remembers wanting to make his move at many points during their serving together, especially in China. Piers had pushed his buttons in more ways than one, and definitely more than any of his previous partners had. The kid had seemed to know exactly what to say and how to say it to make Chris' blood boil, and what was worse - or better? - was that Piers didn't seem to care about how unsettled it made his captain. He was so hell bent on making Chris step up to the plate and become the captain he should have been that, it had been beyond challenging for Chris to keep his cool and not do something rash and reckless to his partner, his own image be damned.

When they fought, and those fights were plenty during their mission in China, Chris had wanted nothing more than to fit all the pieces together with Piers' help. And that included more than fighting side by side, Piers probably knew so himself, but had never tried anything either. In the moments tensions were highest between them, and everything seemed almost to be bursting through the seams, Chris had been the closest to losing it. That was probably why he had been harsher with Piers than he'd been with any of his other men. He can admit now that he had used his position as captain to try to put the younger man in his place, to calm his strong spirit, and even to submit him. And somehow Piers had managed to stay as grounded and fierce, somewhat of a walking contradiction, through all of it, until the very end.

And yet, despite everything that had happened, nothing had happened between them at the time. Chris likes to imagine how things could have panned out if he had kissed Piers while they were pursuing the giant snake, or after they'd lost Marco, or after Ada was no more, or even just after Piers infected himself with the virus. Chris wonders if their story would be somehow different had he acted upon his other instincts besides the ones to serve, protect and even kill in the name of their mission.

"Still wondering about what could have been, captain?" the familiar voice asks behind him and Chris finally snaps out of his wandering thoughts. He turns to face his old partner.

"How many times have I told you not to call me that anymore?" Chris draws his lips together tight to demonstrate his displeasure, even as his resove crumbles and his gaze show he doesn't really mind it.

"And how many times have I told you that I like to stay connected to the past just as much as you do?" Piers' lips are curled into his unique smirk, green eyes glinting as they size Chris up. He steps closer to where Chris is sitting in front of his desk and nudges his shoulder pointedly. Automatically, Chris pushes his chair back enough to make room for Piers to seat himself in his lap sideways and facing him, his better arm making its way around Chris' shoulders smoothly. Chris takes the moment to scan his gaze over Piers face and body, the habbit of making sure Piers is okay and not about to fall apart into his hands hard to shake.

Piers hasn't changed that much, even if he isn't the same as he was before injecting himself with the virus. Whatever the B.S.A.A. did has now meshed well with the C-virus, all things considered, even if many aspects of the mutation are still evident, be it in the shape of fading scares across Pier's face, arm and chest. Chris notices improvement every month, if not every week, and that is really the best they could have hoped for.

"Hey, don't drift away on me again now." Piers demands softly, fingers training over Chris' stomach from over his shirts. "Still wallowing in guilt?" he questions, frowning as he gazes at Chris, demanding an answer.

Chris is silent for a while, eyes still inspecting Piers' face. It's difficult for him to relate how he feels to his partner without giving Piers a reason to snap and lecture him again on how things have turned out in a way that they can both live with, and live happily even too. Finally, he answers the younger man.

"It isn't guilt that makes me look back on China so often, or at least not guilt predominantly." Piers huffs under his breath and nods shortly at this, his hand petting the back of Chris' neck warmly, but the expression on his face serious as it can be, jaw set firm as he listens to Chris continue.

"It is my sense of responsibility for you, for us" Chris gestures vaguely, trying to illustrate his point. "What happened in China, what was happening with you after... it is not easily forgotten.." He trails off and grits his teeth together, memories of Piers struggling with his mutation for months overwhelming him briefly.

Piers chimes in then "Unless you smack your head on concrete again and leave me searching for you for another six months." he grins at Chris, almost managing to fool him about not caring a weight about what had happened to them himself. Chris grabs him by the neck and pulls him in for a rough kiss, lips mashed together firmly for a long moment, a reminder of their reality now and not what had been. When they pull apart, Piers is panting slightly, his usually bright green eyes now darker and hooded. He adjusts on Chris' lap as the older man's hands settle on his thighs.

"I know we won't forget." Chris mutters, squeezing Piers some in his urge to keep his partner close, protected from everything and everyone who means him harm.

"And I don't see why we should." Piers adds, resting his hand on top of Chris' and squeezing it. His right arm still doesn't function as well as the left one, but he's getting there - he has already been talking about returning to the B.S.A.A to serve, giving Chris mini panic attacks each time. "Each of those events pushed us closer to where we are now, to how we are now. They are a part of our story." The younger man explains, his grip on Chris now surprisingly strong. Chris raises his gaze to meet Piers'.

"Our story..." he whispers, and finds himself unable to keep a smile from forming on his face. "Yes, I like that." Piers nods, leaning in for a short kiss. "Me too." he says against Chris' lips and for a moment Chris doesn't remember so much of the bad stuff.


	2. Chapter 2

**June 2013**

Chris stares down at the BSAA patch he accidentally tore from Piers' uniform with a strong sense of mortification and grief. He has felt so much grief as of late, he feels like he's going to burst from it. But never before has he felt this helpless to fix things, to take back what was taken from him. He squeezes the patch in his hand. Piers.

Damn Piers and his blind ambition and loyalty for him. Chris didn't think for a second that he deserved so much of it and yet his partner had been beyond devoted - not only to the mission and the BSAA but to him. Piers' fierce determination to stand by his captain despite Chris' mistakes and insecurities, even despite the hard time Chris had given him was one of a kind and thus unforgettable. How was Chris expected to return to his life as though nothing had happened now? After everything he and the kid had gone through, with the plan he had to have Piers take his position as captain of the team. Was he supposed to just pretend that he hadn't lost the best partner he'd ever had? He owed Piers his life - the life that carried meaning and a purpose, the only life worth living. And now he owed Piers his existence too.

Chris growls, vision going blurry from the reaction he is trying to keep at bay. He grits his teeth together as the escape pod finally opens. It is barely a minute of trying to compose himself before he hears and then sees the helicopter coming to his rescue.

They're here so soon. Piers is still down there, his mutation may be allowing him to survive somehow. Chris' thoughts start to rush along with his heartbeat - this may be foolish hope that he is feeling, or it might be just enough of luck that he is mixing with reasoning. He waves for the helicopter, almost erratically.

"Come on, come on!" He growls under his teeth, wary of time, wary of the water underneatth the escape pod, wary of Piers stuck in the facility, probably torn between life and death.

Someone finally manages to get through and he hears a voice he can't recognise into his earpiece. "Captain? We are here to rescue you, captain. We are throwing you the ladder in less than 60." Chris shakes his head firmly at that, without having to think of it twice.

"No" he says, firm and resolute. "I am not going anywhere until men are sent down to retrieve my partner, soldier." The young man on the other line starts to protest but Chris cuts him off "I don't want to hear it, kid!" He almost yells "Piers Nivans, my second in command, is stuck down there. Now tell me there is a team equipped to go down there and get him or I'll swim there myself." Chris is glaring up at the helicopter as he says this and he sees the soldiers on it shuffle around some, for what seems to him to be ages, before there is finally an answer on the other side.

"We... we can't, sir. We don't have the equipment for it and- and before another team arrives, it will be too late. Sorry, sir." the soldier adds quickly, dread, fear and even pity evident in his voice. Chris' heart sinks at his words and he barely contains himself from screaming out in agony that has nothing to do on the wounds he currently has on his body and face.

And that's when it happens. At first, it's a faint sound that almost can't be distinguished due to the emotional state Chris is in, but then it's more clear. The water moves more than the usual and then splashes loud and high as another escape pod springs out of it and up in the air before landing back in the water.

Chris' heart hammers in his chest as he stares at the escape pod, which is a little far from him but close enough to see who's inside when the door opens. But who else could be inside..

"Piers?" Chris mumbles, staring, disbelieving yet hopeful as the escape pod's door opens slowly. "Piers!" Chris yells out, even before he can see him. But then there he is.

Piers is leaning on one of the walls heavily, his body curved to one side in an awkward, inhuman angle, the mutated arm elongated and throbbing visibly, sparking with electricity from time to time. The mutation has also spread more on Piers' face and neck but Chris thinks he sees Piers look straight at him and say something. Chris stares at his face, trying to make out the words but he can't, even as he is already leaning half out of his own escape pod in the effort to get closer to his partner. Piers keeps talking and Chris feels momentarily delirious with hope before it's ripped from him again to be replaced with more fear.

Piers curls in on himself, letting out a scream that Chris can distinctly hear, before straightening up, shaky on his feet. He looks in Chris' direction again, electicity shooting from his arm in a random direction outside the scape pod and then loses consciousness, collapsing. Chris stares, not knowing what to do, not knowing what to think, his stomach clenched in worry.

"Piers!" he calls out again, but his partner doesn't move. Chris looks back up in direction of the helicopter, panicked. "What are you waiting for, soldier?!" he demands.

There is a pause before a hesitant voice answers. "Awaiting orders from HQ, sir."

"What orders?" Chris snaps, eyes darting swiftly from Piers' unconscious mutated body and back to the helicopter.

"Orders on .. the possible termination of the subject, sir."

Chris feels his blood boil and wants to start shooting left and right. "There are going to be no such orders, kid" he hisses "And there is no subject. This is my partner and he will taken back to BSAA's medical facility immediately." He makes sure to use the most firm tone he has. "Am I clear?" he snaps.

Another moment of silence. Then:

"This is HQ. Captain, what is the situation?"

Chris gathers his breath and uses the same firm business tone. "My partner risked his life to stop Ada Wong's plan and saved my life in the process. He has been infected in a way I haven't seen yet and seems to be in control of the mutation. I need him taken to medical immediately and cared for. I need him alive and well." The words leave his lips without Chris having to even think about it. There are no questions here. Piers has to live. No one is terminating anyone.

"How dire is his condition?" comes the next question from HQ.

Chris scowls, jaw set firm. "I will be there to help you determine this in Medical." he says shortly.

"Copy that." is the response from the other end before the line goes silent. The team from the helicopter is finally moving about with the rescue procedure. Chris clearly motions for them to take Piers up to the helicopter first, determined not to give them an opportunity to trick him by taking him and leaving Piers behind. He watches paying close attention as they pull his partner up to the helicopter before the ladder is pushed down. He grabs onto it and climbs it with his heart resuming to beat abnormally fast in his chest.

Once up in the hellicopter, Chris glues himself to Piers' side, examining him carefully. The younger man is unconscious, the mutation is still dominating his arm and features but he is breathing and that's all that Chris really needs to know right now. He barely remembers to greet the rescue team surrounding them, his attention focused on Piers. His eyes scan Piers' face, still so handsome even with the virus trying to take over as well as his form. Chris' heart clenches as he stares at his partner's mutated arm. Piers did that for him, he knows as much. And it's now more Chris' duty to keep him safe in turn than ever. The BSAA will have to do everything in their power. He won't let Piers die.


	3. Chapter 3

There isn't a moment of peace from the moment the helicopter lands. Not that Chris expected any, considering the circumstances he and Piers are under. He looks at Piers' unconscious face and vaguely wonders if Piers will remember any of what has happened when he wakes up. Chris doesn't want to consider the possibility that Piers may not even remember who he is, despite everything they've shared. Even though it would have a certain poetic value considering his own history with amnesia, Chris realizes. But only poetic because he doesn't intend on giving on Piers the same way Piers never gave up on him. His partner deserves better than to be left to the uncertain hands of fate. Chris always believed in making your own destiny anyway.

And right now his beliefs are also telling him to not leave Piers' side until it is certain that the B.S.A.A. won't do anything stupid.

He helps carry Piers' body in Medical himself, openly snapping at a recruit who seems to get too clumsy with his assistance. Jane Lauren, the doctor Chris hopes has all the answers to their current predicament, is waiting for him in the observation room. He finally lets the medical team take Piers from him, somewhat reluctantly, but tries to have faith. Finally, he turns to Lauren.

"Give me good news, Jane." Chris half-demands, half-pleads, hearing the desperation in his own tone, laced with impatience and worry. Lauren gives him an understanding look that borders on pity.

"Come on now, Chris, you have to know I can't promise anything without doing proper tests and monitoring." She gestures toward the room where Piers is now set on a large white bed and hooked to a bunch of machines. It gives Chris a weird taste in his mouth, he doesn't appreciate his partner being taken for a lab rat.

"Don't let them turn him into an experiment." he says, tone low, eyes still set on Piers who's restless on the bed, tossing and turning. The mutated arm seems to be pulsing more and more with each passing minute. Chris watches as another doctor injects it with a red substance, which seems to make the throbbing settle down some. He returns his gaze to Lauren and she gives him a short nod.

"I know what this means to you, Chris. I know you feel responsible for your team." She says softly, and while Chris sees the truth in her words, he knows that's not all this is.

Piers has been in his team for more than 3 years, and had quickly risen to second in command not only because he was a remarkably strong soldier and talented sniper, but also because of his dedication to the missions and to Chris himself. Chris had had his share of partners and none had done for him what Piers had. None had managed to push his buttons that way.

Regardless, Chris nods. "Yes, I am responsible." he confirms. "He saved my life and I must save his." He tries to convey his thoughts into one more look into Lauren's pale eyes.

"I will keep you posted regarding his recovery, Chris. I will look for the right cure, I've been doing this for long enough." she says, trailing off at the end with something close to bitterness. Chris understands that feeling perfectly - eventually everything becomes too much in this line of work - especially knowledge.

"I have a lot of faith in you, Jane." he supplies finally and even manages to return the smile she gives him.

"I must go now." she says "I already have one approach in mind that should stop the progress of the mutation. Then we can start looking for options regarding an antidote."

Chris nods in understanding and acknowledges the sound of her walking away, his gaze returning to the patient room, where Piers is no longer turning in bed and seems to be sleeping. Chris doesn't for a moment think it is a peaceful sleep, but he knows Piers is a tough soldier able to handle it.

Just stay alive, he thinks, stay alive, Piers.

After an unknown period of time of spent being there, just looking at Piers and the doctors fussing around him, Chris starts to finally feel the fatigue catch up to him. He's unsure of what he is waiting for - Piers won't be waking up and being a pain in the ass tonight, that's for sure. So why Chris is still standing there, unable to tear himself away, he doesn't know.

"He won't disappear if you take your eyes off of him for a second, you know." a familiar voice startles Chris out of his own thoughts and he turns to see Jake Muller leaning against the wall, with his hands in his pockets as though he belonged. Chris watches him mutely for a long moment, calculating, then finally, when it hits him, speaks up.

"You have the antibodies. For the virus." he looks in Piers' direction again, hope returning to him again briefly. Chris faces Jake again "Why are you here?" he asks.

Jake narrows his eyes at him for a moment, then waves his hand dismissively. "After you go to Hell and back sometimes you need some medical attention." he says, then motions towards Piers' bed "see?". Chris grits his teeth together, making an effort to keep calm.

"This is no joking matter. His state is ... " he doesn't continue because he doesn't really know what Piers' state is. Instead, he turns back to observe yet another doctor coming in and injecting Piers with more medicine. His partner remains motionless, even as the mutated arm twitches over and over before getting seemingly smaller in size. Chris feels a glimmer of hope at this.

He hears Jake snort. "His state will be great, I assume, as soon as I get my money."

Chris turns around, giving him a silent questioning look. What does Wesker's kid mean by this?

Jake smirks darkly. "Anti-bodies ain't free."

"Muller." Chris demands, growing impatient. Muller's response is a superior sneer that almost disappears when Chris growls at him. "If you have the cure, you have an obligation to give it to people who need it!" he snaps at the younger man.

Jake's response is to stretch to his full height and give Chris a dark look. "I have no obligation to you, nor to your little puppy." He says, stepping back toward the door. "If you're lucky, you'll have your cure soon enough. If not, too bad."

Chris doesn't know if it's Jake's tone or words that make him snap, but he forgets any lingering guilt he may have about killing the kid's father and grabs him by the forearm, pulling him back into the room and shoving him into the wall.

"You were right when you said there are more important things than you and I out there." Chris growls, knuckles turning almost white where they're gripping Jake's arm. The younger man is giving him a defiant look, but doesn't mean to push him away yet, so Chris continues. "One of those is Piers Nivans, and if you have the cure, you will give it." He phrases everything almost as an order, and somehow he knows it may not be the best way to get through to Jake Muller, but he isn't capable of tact right now. Piers is injected with a the C-Virus and every moment lost is a wasted opportunity to heal him.

Wesker's kid tears himself away from Chris' grasp firmly and huffs under his breath, scowl evident on his face. "This jarhead better be really damn important." he snarls quietly, avoiding Chris' questioning gaze. "And whatever you two do better be out of my sight." He gives Chris a look Chris doesn't quite understand, then turns to the door. "The doctor said to tell you to go home. There's nothing you can do for your puppy now."

As Jake exits the room, Chris catches himself swallowing with more difficulty than ever. He gives Piers' sleeping form another look. It's true, he can't do anything for him, and that's not a sensation Chris wishes to feel for much longer.


	4. Chapter 4

Chris doesn't go home that night. It doesn't even seem to be an option, he has no good reason to, despite what Lauren tells him every couple of hours. Even Sherry Birkin stops by at one point to urge him to get some rest. Chris takes her presence as an opportunity instead and stands from the chair he's been sitting in for the past six hours to face her.

"Jake Muller." he starts, unsure of how to phrase his wordsso that he doesn't sound incredibly selfish. "Leon told me he has the antibodies. For the virus?"

Birkin nods, her bright blue eyes carrying sympathy but determination too. "Jake is not the same man he was 6 months ago. He.. he has other priorities. He won't admit it but .. he wants to help, um, Chris."

Chris remains silent for a moment, remembering his interaction with Muller from the previous day. "Does he?" he mutters. "Didn't seem like it yesterday." He remembers Muller's expressions of distaste, his harsh words, his lack of cooperation. Remembers Muller talking about Piers as though his partner was disposable. And that is something Piers absolutely isn't. Not in China, not here, not now, not ever.

"Jake already gave four vials of blood." Birkin supplies, her voice giving away a sense of pride and happiness. Chris observes her expression for a moment and idly wonders if something happened between her and Muller during their time together. But it's not the time to think about that, what matters is if a cure is a possibility.

"Is it being tested?" he asks, not quite daring to hope again, even if he realizes that Wesker's kid giving up his blood is probably indeed the first step to developing a cure.

"It?" Birkin asks, wide eyed and confused, probably thinking Chris is referring to Muller himself.

"The blood." he clarifies.

Birkin nods, clearly relieved. "Yes, I would assume it is, Chris. And now that Jake has given us enough of it, and the doctors are working on understanding it and isolating the anti-bodies, you should have your Nivans, I mean your partner back in good health soon." She stumbles some over her words and Chris raises an eyebrow at her.

"Eh?" His Nivans? Chris gives Birkin a questioning look.

The girl giggles awkwardly, her blonde hair falling into her eyes some. "I am sure everything will be okay soon, Mr. Redfield," she says, then adds "sir." for good measure. Chris watches her flush and almost run out of the room with an odd sense of confusion, but let's it go after a second, turning his attention back to Piers' patient room.

It has been over 30 hours and Piers doesn't seem to be showing signs of waking up anytime soon. The mutation has ceased to grow - Chris considers that a blessing even though there is so much more that needs to be taken care of. He wonders if the doctors will have to operate on Piers' face and arm, or if any cure would be strong enought to revese the effects of the mutation. And if the effecs are reversed, what this would mean for Piers' arm. There are many questions and a total of none answers right now and if Chris wasn't so tired he would be pacing restlessly right now.

Jane Lauren enters the observation room as he is about to allow himself in Piers' room.

"Not yet." She tells Chris as though she has read his mind. "We don't know what condition he is going to be in when he wakes up. He might be aggressive, delusional, dangerous."

Chris clenches his jaw at that, feeling strong discomfort at hearing her words.

"How are we doing with the cure?" he demands, perhaps too sharply. They need to get Piers to the state Chris remembers him in. They have to. Nothing else will suffice.

Lauren steps beside him where he watches Piers unconscious body shift just slightly on the bed. "It will be at least 48 hours until we have developed a prototype and then it needs to be tested. You have to understand, Chris, it's not like we can feed Piers Jake's blood directly. It's more complicated than that."

Chris grunts in displeasure. "I know how complicated it is. I am not entirely clueless when it comes to the medical side of this nightmare." he says, barely taking his gaze away from Piers' sleeping form.

"Is he even okay?" Chris asks, not really wanting the answers but unable to not know at the same time. The constant feeling of worry and unease is wearing him down, he almost can't stand it.

Lauren clears her throat beside him. "He is doing as well as you could have asked for. The mutation is no longer spreading through his system and it is certainly not taking over. I administered CA24 which has given us enough time to develop and test a possible cure. You can't hope for much else right now, we just need the time."

Chris nods curtly, her words barely managing to peace him, the majority of the weight he feels remaining. He knows it's not going away until Piers is well on his feet, challenging him to be a better captain and a better man.

They stand in silence for a few minutes before Lauren speaks up.

"Jake Muller is cooperating." she says. "He has allowed us to take more blood than we even asked for." When Chris nods in silence she continues. "He seems to have very strong opinions about you two, but he is cooperating."

Chris huffs under his breath. "Yes, he has made his strong feelings clear to me already."

Lauren shrugs. "Maybe he just doesn't approve." she says.

"What is there for him to approve of?" Chris questions, raising an eyebrow at her and frowning. He wonders if he has missed something or if everybody is speaking in riddles these days and what they are on about for fuck's sake.

Lauren looks Chris in the eye for a long moment, her expression unreadable, before she shakes her head. "Nothing. I better return to my colleagues if you want your partner back on his feet soon."

Chris watches her walk away, trying to figure out what it is that he has missed and failing. He rubs his forehead, feeling extra beaten down and tired. A few more hours without sleep and he's going to need hospitalisation too. He enters the hallway and stops a nurse.

"Is there a place available where I can sleep?" He asks the girl, who looks at him like a deer in headlights for a moment before finally answering.

"Not unless you.. are a patient, sir." she says, her voice small, and brown eyes betraying her worry that Chris might snap at her. He straightens up and looks down the hall where Jane Lauren is speaking with Jake Muller and Sherry Birkin. Maybe going home wouldn't be the worst idea. Some food and rest could enable him to spend more time here later, monitoring Piers' condition better.

Chris turns back to the nurse. "Tell doctor Lauren to contact me in the case of any changes in Piers Nivans' condition. I want to be in the loop on everything. If he so much as coughs, I want to be notified." he tells the nurse, giving her his stern look. "Am I clear?"

The girl nods rapidly, obviously tense. "Of course, yes, sir. I will tell Dr. Lauren right now, sir." She swiftly walks away when Chris gives her an affirming nod. If he has to be away from his partner now, even only for a few hours, there better not be any surprises.


	5. Chapter 5

Upon his arrival home, the first thing Chris does is to set his phone on its loudest settings possible, so that he can hear it from the other end of the apartment if he has to. He's close to passing out as it is, but since a shower wouldn't do him any harm, he discards his worn out uniform and goes in the bathroom. For a long moment he just stands there, haunched over the sink, watching his own expression in the bathroom mirror. He looks as bad as he feels. And something tells him that he's not going to look any better even after washing up.

In the shower he thinks about nothing and everything. In some moments, he spaces out entirely, just watching the shower wall with an empty look, letting himself feel every overwhelming emotion he's felt in the last 48 hours on repeat. When he shakes himself out of it, he realizes how profoundly alone he is, not just in his empty apartment, but in his life. He has lost so many of his men already, and unless the B.S.A.A. medical team does their job excellently, he might lose the best partner he has had to date too.

Despite knowing that running all of the latest events in his mind will be entirely unhelpful, Chris can't help but do so. He revisits every aspect of his and Piers' mission to the last detail he can remember. What could he have done to protect the younger man? To stop him from having to use the c-virus to save Chris' life. Maybe if Chris himself had moved faster, fought the Haos monster better. Maybe if he had been a better captain, his second in command wouldn't be lying on a hospital bed, fighting for his life and humanity right now. Maybe it's all Chris' fault after all.

He leans against the wall as shower springs hot water over his shoulders and back, wanting nothing more than to punch everything around him until this nightmare is over. He isn't used to losing valuable people like this. Bodies dropping left and right and then despite all the loyalty and determination Piers had shown him, Chris had managed to let the younger man slip away too. He was slipping right now as Chris was waiting there like a sitting duck.

Annoyed, Chris scrubs himself rougher than he normally would, watching as his skin turns an angry, redish colour. In his head, he can almost hear Piers' voice, calling out to him, needing him. He throws the soap away and swiftly shampooes and rinses his hair. Maybe there is progress in Medical. Maybe it's not just him going nuts, maybe Piers has actually woken up and asked for him. He exits the shower cabin and wraps a towel around his waist.

In the bedroom, Chris checks his phone for any messages or calls. Of course there is nothing, it's not like he heard it ring. He's losing his wits over here, just having to wait uninformed. He decides to send Jane Lauren a short message.

"How is he doing?"

Her answer is over an hour late, during which Chris naturally doesn't even think about sleeping. When she finally does send a reply, it's short and bitter. - "His condition is steady. Get some rest, you're no good to him delirious from the lack of sleep."

Chris throws on some clothes and sits on the bed heavily, resting his head in his hands with a low groan. His head is throbbing weakly, a headache on its way. He knows he should be getting some sleep but doubts he can actually relax enough for it. Eventually maybe tiredness will beat him down into it. He doesn't want to miss a message or a call from Medical in case something changes with Piers' state.

Lying back, he stares at the ceiling. If he had managed to pull Piers into his escape pod in time, would it have made any difference? Would the Haos monster reached and destroyed them both and then moved onto wrecking havoc around the world? Or would they have made it out alive with Piers being awake right now? Chris frowns at his own stupid speculations. Does it really matter what could have been when he can't change what is? His partner is compromised and all Chris can do is wait.

He's sick of waiting already. How long is this supposed to take?

_"Captain, stop ignoring me." Piers' voice is demanding as usual, coming from somewhere in the room. Chris looks around but it's dark and he can't see any outlines yet, not even the one of Piers' body._

_"Where are you?" he asks, stepping in the direction he thinks Piers is. _

_The reply he receives is delayed. "What, are you kidding me, captain? Now you're going to pretend you can't even see me?" Piers sounds insulted, bordering on angry. It makes Chris feel guilty instantenously. He reaches out in the dark, his hand touching a wall. _

_"Damn it, Piers, tell me where you are!" he commands just as the lights turn on. He turns around and-_

_Beep Beep Beep Beep Beep Beep Beep Beep Beep _Beep Beep _Beep Beep Beep Beep _ Beep Beep Beep Beep Beep Beep Beep Beep Beep Beep

Chris cracks his eyes open as he reaches for his phone on the bed next to him. "Damn." he curses under his breath. He drifted off.

The phone ceases to ring just as Chris is about to pick up. Chris checks Missed Calls and dials Jane Lauren right back, his heart rate immediately picking up. It takes her ages to answer, but when she finally does Chris is already on his feet and heading towards the door.

"Yes, hello.."

"What happened? How is he?" Chris immediately asks, slamming the front door behind his back and heading for his car. He doesn't know how long he has slept for, but he feels wide awake. Hang on, Piers, he thinks, I'm on my way.

Lauren takes a second to reply. "He woke up, briefly, then drifted back into sleep. He didn't appear to be hostile or upset. However, the medicine we are administering is making him tired and drowsy."

Chris growls under his breath at that, and Lauren continues. "It is either that or the mutation taking over, Chris." she says sharply as he's starting the car.

He pauses briefly as the engine rumbles, hands tight on the wheel. "I'm sorry." he says finally. "I'm protective of this kid. He needs me."

"Then I trust you will be here for him soon. I have to return to the lab." Jane Lauren says before hanging up on him.

It takes him maybe 20 minutes to get to the B.S.A.A. Medical building, despite it being on the other end of town. The same nurse he remembers intimidating earlier in the day is the one to greet him in front of Piers' patient room.

"Mr. Redfield, the patient is still sleeping, sir." she tells Chris, giving him a hopeful look. He looks through the window into the room for confirmation, then turns back to her.

"What is the prognosis? Is he going to wake up soon? Does his waking up earlier mean he is getting better?" he shoots the questions one after another, impatient to receive the answers. The girl is momentarily confused, but then answers quickly.

"You see, sir, no claims can be made about y- Mr. Nivans' condition before the doctor has administered a possible cure." her voice gets suspiciously tiny near the end.

Chris paces around restlessly some, throwing glances in direction of Piers' bed as members of the medical staff go in and out of the room to check up on Piers.

"What about the cure then?" Chris questions firmly, this time refusing to accept a vague answer.

"In development, sir. Doctor Lauren, Doctor Shane and Doctor Evans are working on it in the laboratory as we speak. Unfortunately, I do not know much else." the girl says apologetically, a pitiful look on her face.

Chris nods at her shortly. "You should let the doctors know that I am here, waiting to be thoroughly briefed."

The girl hesitates for a moment, then motions for him to follow her as she starts for the lab. "Doctor Lauren said you might say so, sir. Follow me." Chris does, walking almost ahead of her in his impatience.


	6. Chapter 6

When they enter the first room of the lab, the nurse points Chris to the sitting area.

"Please wait here, sir. I'm going to call for Doctor Lauren." she says and Chris decides not to give her a hard time about it. He sits down, foot tapping on the floor as he waits. It's been many hours since Piers was brought in here. There should be progress by now, surely, especially when it comes to developing the cure. If Wesker's kid has donated plenty of blood, and every doctor uses a vial to work on a possible vaccine then what's taking so damn long?

Jane Lauren steps into the room just as Chris' mind is about to wander off with the possibilities. He stands up to greet her, nodding silently, making sure to give her a meaningful look. Her response is to motion toward the chairs again.

"Please" she says, taking a seat herself "Sit down. I know you have questions."

Chris nods, sitting across from her, eyes intent on her face. "How are we doing with the cure?" he asks.

"We have isolated the antibodies and are currently working on developing it." Lauren says, tapping her fingers on the table slowly. "We have also done tests on how the C-Virus corresponded with Piers' DNA."

Chris raises an eyebrow at her.

"Depending on certain blood types, DNA characteristics and even personal characteristics unique to the person, the mutation takes different form." Lauren elaborates. "The same virus can change different people differently, mesh with their system to different extents."

Chris nods in understanding, even though so far most of the J'Avos have seemed more or less the same to him. He does remember however that Piers seemed to have control over his own mutation, almost using is like a superpower. "What does this mean for my partner?" Chris asks Jane Lauren, already knowing she has prepared an answer for him.

"What this means is that it is possible for Piers to fight the virus off faster since he did not hurt you after his mutation despite the many opportunities he had." she says, but before Chris thinks this is good news, she delivers the flipside. "It is also possible for it to be more difficult for us to completely reverse the mutation."

Chris acknowledges what she is saying but it still leaves open questions. "You're saying there might be lingering effects of the mutation. Give me some examples."

Lauren thinks about it for a moment during which Chris imagines less than favourable scenarios.

"Piers Nivans might be stronger than usual, and also more aggressive despite appearing normal. His arm's mutation might reverse, but not to a full extent. His ability to create electricity might remain." Lauren suggests, her tone soft and low. Chris clenches his jaw and considers which of the options sounds most problematic.

"What about changes in personality?" he asks finally. Piers didn't show any such symptoms during their time together post-mutation, but Chris has to ask if only to make sure.

Jane Lauren shakes her head slowly, mouth shifting into a frown. "Highly unlikely. It is entirely possible for your partner to suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder however, which has little to do with the virus' effects. You have both been through a lot."

Chris imagines Piers losing his fierce fighting spirit, his daring nature changing into something more cautious and even fearful. The idea itself makes shivers run down his spine. Piers has always been his strongest, most motivated recruit, never hesitating to stand up to Chris or to tell him the truth. That is the Piers that Chris knows and that is the Piers he wants to be reunited wth.

"How do we prevent it?" Chris asks, determined. It's his moral duty to protect Piers, now more so than ever.

Jane Lauren gives him a look that reminds him of the ones Claire used to give him when they would disagree on a topic. "You can't prevent psychological responses, Chris. Not even your own." she says. "They are a natural response, a way of coping with difficulty and trauma."

Chris doesn't respond for a moment, contemplating. Lauren takes the opportunity to try to dismiss his worries. "Either way, this is not a concern as of yet. Right now, the only thing you need to know is that your partner is fairing better than expected."

"Better than expected?" Chris questions, already allowing himself to get a little bit hopeful.

Lauren nods. "His waking up was a positive sign. Let's hope he remains this lucky. We're working on the vaccine as fast as we can."

As soon as she says that, there is a knock on the door and the nurse from before enters the room, looking like she has been in a hurry to get there.

"Doctor Lauren, Sir, Mr Nivans, your partner is waking up." she says, looking between Chris and Jane Lauren as she stumbles over her words.

Chris is on his feet before he even realizes it. He follows the nurse out into the corridor, almost running to Piers' room, Jane Lauren following close behind. Not caring about visiting rules, Chris enters Piers' room, getting next to the bed immediately. He stares at Piers, eyes searching, worried, scanning over the younger man's face.

Piers lets out a short, weak sound, eyebrows furrowing as he shifts on the bed. Chris' heart skips a beat as he watches Piers' eyes slowly open, not even all the way, but enough to give him a hooded, unfocused gaze. Chris immediately reaches out to touch Piers' human hand, squeezing it lightly.

"I'm here. You're okay, Piers, you're going to be okay." he is quick to reassure, voice wavering some. Seeing Piers so weak is not something Chris can get used to, it's affecting him already and it's only been a few hours.

Piers gives Chris a look like he wants to say something and his full lips move slowly. "C-cap-tain." he finally manages out, his voice strained and quiet.

Chris' immediate reaction is to squeeze his hand again, firmer this time, a feeling coiling in his gut like he doesn't want to let go of Piers. He swallows with some difficulty and nods, gazing down into Piers' eye - the one that hasn't been altered by the mutation.

"Yes. I'm here, with you. I'm here, soldier." Chris says, his own voice rough.

Piers arches up off the bed some and two nurses immediately go to hold him down. Chris orders them to back off immediately, at least enough to give Piers some space as he speaks up again.

"Cap-tain.." he manages, his hand turning to grasp Chris'.

Chris steps closer, taking a deep breath in an effort to calm his nerves. He won't be able to reassure Piers everything is okay unless he can play the part. "Yeah, it's me. Say my name, Piers." he requests, almost hopeful.

Pier holds his gaze, his green eye searching Chris' endlessly.


	7. Chapter 7

"C-Chris.." Piers finally mumbles, with obvious difficulty.

Even so, it is enough for Chris to let out a sigh of relief. Piers hasn't forgotten him - the mutation hasn't done damage to his memory. Chris doesn't know who to be thanking - the doctors, a deity or Piers' relentless spirit. It's probably a combination of all of them.

"How are you doing, kid?" Chris asks, letting a small smile slip. Piers is going to be okay. He can finally believe it now.

Piers coughs lightly, squeezing Chris' hand in his and attempts to smile back.

"M losin' my looks, captain." he laughs a little which turns into another small cough. Chris gives him a semi-stern look in response as the nurse giggles behind him at Piers' joke.

"Don't say that, Piers." he says, using his "commanding captain" tone. "Muller's anti-bodies are being turned into a cure for the mutation as we speak."

Piers nods shortly, turning his gaze down as his mutated arm moves and sparks lightly with an electric charge. Jane Lauren steps closer to the bed immediately, ready to rush everybody out of the room. Chris gives her a look, willing her to show patience and understanding before turning his attention back on his partner.

"It doesn't feel... as s-strong." Piers rasps out. "Like.. like it's sleeping."

Chris turns his frown to Lauren who nods at him. "We can't do any more than this until a cure is developed." she says, her eyes moving between Chris and her patient as she speaks. "We have stopped it from taking over Mr. Nivans' body entirely - this is as good as we hoped to achieve at this stage."

Chris nods firmly. "Hear that, Piers?" he looks the younger man in the eye again. "You're doing well. You just need to hold out for a few more hours. Think you can do that for me?"

Piers lets out a heavy sigh, his tired gaze holding Chris' stubbornly. "For you... I will, Chris." he mutters, a strong promise in his voice.

Chris huffs, nodding his approval and sense of pride at the younger man's spirit. He glances down where Piers is still weakly holding onto his hand and something coils in his chest. "I'm staying here." He says decisively, barely looking at anyone else in the room but Piers. "It's not up for negotiation."

Jane Lauren speaks up after a short pause. "Very well." she says, but her tone is stern. Chris doesn't have to look at her to know she is about to tell him a bunch of rules he needs to follow if he intends on spending more than a few minutes by his partner's side.

"Mr. Nivans needs as much rest as possible in order to stay strong and accept the medicine we administer well. This means no prolonged conversations, no strongly emotional moments, no physical activity beyond lying down. That means, that it is up to you, Chris-" Lauren makes a pointed pause here "to keep your interaction in check and be as professional and responsible about it as you can. Nothing too personal yet, understood?"

Chris gives her a sideways look, trying to determine what she means by 'too personal' but his mind reading skills are not that impressive.

"What does 'too personal' entail?" he asks, clearly aware of Piers' consistent squeezing of his hand. He squeezes back once, to assure his partner he's paying attention to him, albeit less obviously now.

Lauren gives him one of her unreadable looks then says "Nothing that will get Mr. Nivans' heart racing."

At that, Chris frowns, considering the topics that could possibly get Piers upset. Unfortunately, in their line of work, aside from small talk everything they can talk about has the capacity to get either or both of them worked up. Regardless, Chris fully intends to spare Piers anything that might cause the younger man to feel bad. Piers has already put himself on the line for Chris' benefit more times than Chris can count.

"Got it, doc." he finally says before motioning around the room. "Can I get a chair here?"

Jane Lauren gives the young nurse a signal. "A comfortable chair for Mr. Redfield, Sally, if you will."

Sally, as the impressionable girl is apparently called, hurries out of the room with a smile plastered on her face. Chris idly wonders what she's so happy about but his thoughts are interrupted.

"If you two will excuse me, I have a cure to develop." Jane Lauren says as she exits the room.

Chris watches the door close behind her back and turns his gaze back on his partner straight away. Piers' is watching him, gaze hooded, betraying his exhausted state. Yet despite of it, the younger man seems keen on remaining awake and focused. He finally lets go of Chris' hand with a soft smile.

"I'm glad.. you're here, captain." Piers mumbles, stiffling a cough.

Chris reaches out to fix his pillow, more to distract himself from his partner's apparent weakness than anything else. "I'm glad you're here, Piers." he replies, sneaking a glance at Piers' face. "Was a stupid thing you did down there." He can't help but add.

Piers lets out a sigh, shaking his head some. "Won't.. let you.. make me feel...bad."

"I'm not trying to make you feel bad, Piers." Chris answers immediately, in a hurry to make sure Piers doesn't misunderstand him. However Piers is already scowling.

"Bullsshhit." The younger man grunts and the heart rate monitor shows an increase in his pulse. "You.. you would have done the same.. for me, Chris." Piers growls, glaring up at Chris in his defiance.

Whatever argument Chris may have had on his mind vanishes. He reaches out and squeezes Piers' shoulder lightly, enough to peace him some. "You're right." Chris says, deciding to abandon his pride. "I don't hold it against you, Piers, you got that?" He's staring down his partner's eyes with every once of intensity he can feel.

Piers hesitates for a second, then his anger seems to diminish almost entirely. Slowly, he nods. "You better not." he says, leaning his head back further into the pillow, his breathing going deeper and steadier.

Chris watches him for a long moment, then relaxes some and straightens up just in time for nurse Sally's return. The girl, who objectively can't be more than 110 pounds is pushing a leather armchair which probably weighs as much as she does through the door and into the room.

"Here is your seat, sir." she pants from the effort, but keeps on pushing with dedication that Chris truly admires. He reaches to help her and she waves him off. "Oh no, I'm fine, sir, really." she says lightheartedly, pushing the armchair towards the side of Piers' bed. "I decided to bring this because I know you will probably be spending a lot of time in here with your partner." When she's finally done, she smiles at him and Piers, saying something under her breath so quietly Chris can't make out what it is. A second later, she's gone from the room.

Looking down at Piers who's drifting off into sleep, Chris sighs. They'd almost got into a fight just now despite Jane Lauren's warnings. As he sits down in the armchair, Chris vows not to let Piers get angry again anytime soon. No more bullshit on Chris' part. He owes Piers as much.


	8. Chapter 8

Piers sleeps for another 15 hours during which Chris observes him like a hawk, paces around as quietly as he can and finally speaks to Jane Lauren about the progress of the cure development.

"You are unable to go more than half a day without breathing down my neck, are you, Chris?" She asks him as she's finishing her coffee. Chris would think she's actually annoyed at him were it not for the small smirk on her face. "Luckily for me, Evans is currently finishing the first version of the vaccine and we can begin testing- " her beeper goes off and she checks it "well look at that. Now."

Chris follows her into the lab, barely containing his eagerness. If everything goes as it should, he thinks, the beginning of the end of this biohazzard will be upon them.

He watches closely as the doctors bring out a chimp, whose mutation has cost the bottom half of its body, which has mutated into bird-like legs, sharp claws included. Soon, the chimp is sedated and they prepare him for injection with the vaccine. Chris turns to Jane Lauren as they administer the medicine.

"Aren't you supposed to be testing this on J'avo instead of animals?" he asks, questioning how the monkey's mutation is in any way similiar to Piers'.

Lauren doesn't even spare him a look as she helps the other doctors transfer the chimp into a larger cage. "The cure is in development, Chris. Testing on J'avo is extra risky because we don't know how successful the vaccine will be at battling and beating the C-Virus. Have some patience." she says, taking out a note pad and scribbling down something as she watches the chimp trash around some in its cage in its sleep. Chris watches it for a moment, wondering how long it would take for results to be evident.

"How long until we know if this vaccine is the cure?" he asks, turning to Lauren. She's still writing down in her notepad, now even more animatedly so. Chris is about to call her name out when his arm is poked.

It's the young nurse again and she's pointing toward the chimp's cage. "Sir, look!" she says, her voice hushed as though she's afraid raising her voice might scare him off. He looks at the monkey which slowly appears to be changing - from half chimp half bird to a full chimp. The legs transform - claws into fingers, feathers falling off and skin growing fur. Chris has seen the C-virus transform people into J'avo much faster than this, but slower or not, the changes are happening right in front of his eyes.

"It's working." he says, barely believing it himself, heart racing already just considering that this might actually be the cure. He keeps watching, a part of him afraid that if he looks away the changes might be reversed and the virus might win.

There is silence for a long while as everybody in the room observes the mutation be reversed entirely until the chimp appears to be completely healthy, with no visible alterations.

"Is that it? This vaccine is the cure?" Chris asks anyone who's willing to answer him.

A tall doctor speaks up. "The chimpanzee is to be kept under observation for a minimum of six hours. If there is no sight of the mutation and no traces of the C-virus in his DNA we will be free to proceed testing on a human subject. If all goes well, tomorrow morning around this time we can administer the possible cure to Mr. Nivans." He explains before finally introducing himself. "Doctor James Evans."

Chris shakes his hand. "Chris Redfield."

"Oh I know who you are, Mr. Redfield. You're a legend in the B.S.A.A." Evans says, taking some of his own notes as he glances at the sleeping chimp. Chris eyes him, almost sarcastically thanking him for reminding him. If he was such a legend, Piers wouldn't be in this situation right now.

"So it will be another day until my partner can have the cure." Chris mutters, not really needing a confirmation. "I hope this is it."

Evans pats him on the shoulder awkwardly. "We all do, Mr. Redfield, we all do. Now return to your partner if you wish and we will invite you back in the lab if there is something you need to see."

Chris follows his advice, not having intended to spend much time away from Piers in the first place. On the way there he thinks about the possible complications and the differences between how the vaccine worked on the chimp and how it might work on a J'avo. He doesn't want to think about the possibility that this vaccine might turn out to be incompatible with human DNA which would turn them back to square one. When he enters Piers' room, he is unsure whether he's happy or worried to find the younger man awake.

"I thought you'd left." Piers mumbles at him, his good eye showing disappointment.

Chris scoffs as he pulls his armchair closer to Piers' bed and pats Piers' hand as he sits down. "As if." he says, giving his partner a determined look. "I've spend the majority of the time since we left Chinese waters here and that's not going to change until you're back on your feet."

Piers' disappointment disappears and is replaced by firm gratitude. "This is the Chris.. Redfield I remember." he speaks up, clearing his throat. "How long was.. was I out?"

"Don't strain yourself." Chris orders firmly, eyes trailing over Piers' face. He imagines it without the mutation, remembers it so youthful and handsome, so fierce. Then answers - "It's been about 16 hours."

Piers' eyes widen. "16 hours..." he trails off.

Chris nods. "You need a lot of rest to beat this thing. Especially until the vaccine is confirmed as a cure." He sees Piers begin to ask about it and signals for him not to, explaining straight away instead. "They developped a vaccine this afternoon and tested it on a primate. It worked. If it works on a J'avo as well, you will be cured." Just saying the words gives Chris a sense of strength, like they're about to win a battle.

Piers shifts on the bed, his expression darkening. "J'avo.." he mutters "That's what I am now."

Damn, Chris curses silently. He didn't mean to bring it up but now there it is. If he was to say that Piers is not a J'avo right now, he'd be bullshitting again. Instead, he settles for the truth. "Not for long, soldier." His voice is firm and unwavering. He can't let Piers go into a state of self-pity or rage, neither would be helpful in their situation.

He expects Piers to argue at least a little but instead the younger man shrugs his good shoulder. "I hope so." he says, sounding tired already.

"You can go back to sleep. I'm here." Chris says patting the bed next to Piers' side. The younger man turns a little bit sideways to look at him and holds his gaze mutely for a moment. Finally he closes his eyes, but Chris can tell he's not even trying to fall asleep.

They stay in silence for a while before Piers speaks again, quieter than before. "When I'm cured... If I'm cured.. I want to serve under you again." he says and Chris watches as Piers' tongue sneaks out to wet his full lips.

Chris lets out a shaky breath, unsure of how to answer. "Get better and you will." he says finally. Piers opens his eyes and stares at him and Chris can swear, he can see the build up of will and determination behind the green of Piers' iris.

"Yes, sir." the younger man says, and it literally sends a shiver down Chris' spine.

The doctors better be doing their testing and making the final version of the vaccine. He can't wait to have Piers back in his full capacity.

Chris leans back in the armchair and he and Piers share a long look before the younger man closes his eyes and relaxes into the sheets. Only when his breathing has evened out does Chris allow himself to drift off as well, his sleep semi-restless.


	9. Chapter 9

When Chris wakes up it is due to someone moving around in the room. He cracks his eyes open, just barely, enough to see who it is. Doctor Evans and a nurse Chris doesn't recognise are speaking in hushed voices about the vaccine. Even if he strains to hear, he can't make out what they're saying, so he sits up in the armchair and coughs, letting them know he's awake.

Evans turns around to give him an instant smile. "Mr. Redfield, just in time, I was about to have Nella here wake you up."

Chris gives him a groggy look, still not a hundred percent from sleeping. He throws Piers a look - the younger man appears to still be sleeping.

"We have sedated Mr. Nivans." Evans speaks up, as if he's reading Chris' thoughts. His words wake Chris up fully immediately. He stands up from the armchair immediately.

Jane Lauren walks into the room before he can ask any questions. She gives him a once-over, then steps next to Piers' bed and checks his pulse. "Good, he's ready."

"Ready for what?" Chris asks without missing a beat. Lauren looks in his direction and nods to the nurse, who takes her cue to prepare the vaccine. Chris observes, then stretches some to his full height. "The tests turned out alright?" he inquires. He must have been sleeping for longer than he expected to.

Lauren goes to explain. "You were out for quite some time. The J'avo responded extremely well to the vaccine. No traces of the virus can be found in her blood stream, now she is just a very regretful girl who will need counselling for a while."

Chris presses his lips tight together to show his understanding and unease with her statement. Lauren is quick to continue.

"We can not guarantee that Piers will have the same emotional response to being cured, of course. In fact, we can not guarantee that he will have the same physical response either. As we earlier discussed, there can be lingering effects of the virus."

Chris nods. "Superpowers." he mutters.

"A possibility." Lauren agrees "But all things considered, he could even be considered lucky if he does get such abilities."

Still frowning some, Chris approaches the bed, eyes lingering on Piers' face and his mutated arm. "If there are such traces of the virus left, will they be permanent?"

"We don't know." Lauren says quietly "We can't know anything for sure until we have injected Piers with the vaccine, as response to the cure is so very individualistic. Our second best option would be to find a J'avo as similar to your partner as possible - male, caucasian, in his mid twenties, with previous strenuous training - possibly a cop or a fireman."

Chris shakes his head. This would involve searching, which means waiting, which means more time wasted - probably a lot more. And that is time they don't have. It just can't be risked.

"I know you realize that option is equally as risky, if not even more." Lauren says.

Chris keeps his gaze on Piers for a while then finally looks Lauren straight in the eye, then Evans too. "You developed a cure and tested it already." he says, feeling like no more thinking needs to be done "Let's put it to good use."

The nurse - Nella - hands the ready vaccine to Evans, who gives Chris a lingering look.

"What?" Chris asks, feeling tense from the anticipation. Evans shakes his head in response, returning his attention back to Piers. Not wanting to make the doctor to lose his focus, Chris decides to ask him about it later. Piers receiving the vaccine holds top priority right now.

It only takes a few seconds to inject the vaccine and then it's back to waiting again. Chris feels helpless, as he has almost grown accustomed to feeling these last few days, but it's different now. The waiting is accompanied by a vague sense of lightness, like the worst has been put behind their backs already. Chris is skeptic towards this feeling, because as he has learned time and time again nothing's over until it's over.

Piers is still lying on that bed, shifting regularly, sometimes making soft sounds that Chris doesn't understand. Is his partner in pain or is it relief he's feeling? The doctors suggest it's a bit of both before they retreat, letting Chris know that the only thing needed now is once again - time.

Chris sits back in the armchair, eyes intent on Piers' form and waits.

The reverse of Piers' mutation is times slower than the one of the chimp. With the primate, Chris had been able to see the change before his very eyes. In Piers' case, it takes two hours before the mutation has withdrawn from his right eye. Another six hours and Piers' face is almost free the mutation, his arm only just starting to resume its human form.

For the first time in his life, Chris is patient. The results may be almost too slow for him to handle, but they're there. He paces around the room some, sits some, stands by Piers' bed some.

Eight hours later, Piers' face and neck are completely free from the virus'effects. Chris lets his eyes roam over the younger man's face, pleased to see his partner the way he wants him, the way Piers actually is.

Chris turns his attention to Piers' arm - the mutation has grown significantly smaller in size and changed in colour to a light brown, still dominating the whole limb. He almost reaches out to touch it, but resists the urge, not wanting to wake Piers up. Lauren had specifically warned him that the vaccine's effects were more difficult to bear in a conscious state, which is why the two nurses had been taking turns coming into the room every few hours to keep Piers sedated.

It's difficult to see Piers out for so long, it gets Chris subconsciously worried that the younger man might never come to, that he might never get his partner back. The worry conflicts with the happiness Chris feels when he sees the mutation slowly disappear.

When Evans walks in to check up on his patient, Chris questions the speed of the curing process. Evans gives him a sympathetic, calm look.

"We are aware of your impatience, Mr. Redfield. And yes, the other subject's mutation was reversed quicker, but due to the unique nature of this virus, it would be very unwise for us to make any conclusions as of yet - especially negative ones."

Chris thinks about it for a moment and finally realizes how on edge he has been during this whole ordeal. He used to be able to keep his cool, but for better or worse, he has changed. Piers would probably scold him for being so jumpy and tense, tell him to get a grip and become the captain he was before. To not worry about Piers so darn much.

Well, tough shit. Chris is worried, and who wouldn't be when they're faced with losing someone who sacrificed their life for them.

Still, he decides it appropriate to apologize for making the athosphere even heavier.

"Apology accepted." Evans smiles at him, then glances at Piers warmly. "We understand how difficult it is for patients' partners to see them hurt. It's a difficult situation, but we're doing our best to fix it."

Chris nods. "Much appreciated, doc." he says and then remembers something from earlier. "Why did you hesitate before giving my partner the cure?"

Evans' eyes meet Chris'. "I expected you to request to administer it yourself." he says, no trace of humour in his voice.

Chris doesn't know how to respond. It isn't a far fetched assumption on the doctor's part. Being through this with Piers has made him more sensitive, more biased, more... attached.


	10. Chapter 10

In the early hours of the next morning Chris finally feels a weight be lifted from his shoulders. Piers is okay. The younger man appears to be 100% percent human - no mutation is scarring his body, appearing to be entirely gone from Piers' system. A blood check done by two of the doctors separately confirms that the C-virus is almost completely gone from Piers' system. Chris feels oddly overwhelmed by the news, like he doesn't know whether or not to believe it yet.

Of course, Jane Lauren is right there ready to give him a dose of reality with the explanations Chris keeps on requesting from her.

"Just the fact that Piers has both of his arms in tact is a sign that the virus is not completely gone from his system. However, as there do not appear to be any negative complications as of yet, this can be seen as a positive, albeit suspicious side effect of the C-virus and the vaccine mixing." Lauren is watching machine monitoring Piers' heart rate as she speaks.

Like her, Chris deems it more important that she look after his partner than look at him right now. He keeps listening closely, making sure to note everything for future references. He's not letting anything slip past him anymore. It will be over his dead body before he lets something happen to Piers again.

"Piers could be missing his limb as an alternative." Lauren says "And as you will probably agree, Chris, that is not something that a man in your line of work can easily get past. If all goes well, your partner will be ready to return in the field in a few short months."

Chris frowns at this, a number of questions popping up in his mind. Would Piers even want to return to the field after this? But of course he would, the kid is as stubborn and determined to fight as a bull. And no amount of negotiating or even arguing would be able to change his mind were he to decide that he wished to get back to fighting bioterrorism alongside Chris. But would he be fit to do so? With any possible psychological and physical trauma resulting from the infection with the virus, would Piers actually be able to deal with the strain of their working conditions? Would he need to go through training again? Through counselling before that? And would he even be able to demonstrate enough patience to actually go through with any such necessary precautions?

Chris rubs his temple briefly. This is one of those times when he wishes he could see into the future. He has never been keen on the unknown but it is in situations like these when he really resents being a mere human being. Not that the non-humans he has met in his lifetime were able to predict future events with stronger accuracy, but he can honestly go without feeling like this - so blind. So out of control.

"I'd almost forgotten that he might want to get back out there." Chris mutters, casting a somber look over Piers' sleeping form. With the mutation gone from his face and body, the younger man appears to be more peaceful and yet more fierce at the same time. At this rate, Chris assumes, it will be only a few more hours until Piers is notifying him that he's joining Chris on "their next mission." For some reason the thought alone makes Chris' stomach clench. It's too soon. The memory of what happened in China is so bright on his mind that it will be months until he is not paranoid about Piers' safety anymore.

"I know you wish to protect him from everything right now." Jane Lauren says to him softly and Chris finally tears his watchful gaze away from Piers to look her in the eye. She looks more sympathetic than usual, like she's about to console him like a mother would her restless child. "But we can't exercise endless control over the ones we love the most in an effort to protect them from their own choices. That's not what a full life is about, Chris."

Her words really hit Chris where it counts and he is left pondering about what she has just said in silence for the longest time.

Is it really like that? Has Piers Nivans, his second in command, become so important to him that nobody else in his life matters quite as much? Not even Jill or Claire? There is no question that what he and Piers have been through together in the last few years has moved them past a simple working relationship. Chris doesn't fool himself even for a second that Piers has not become a priority, but is it more than that? Would it be outrageous to think that Piers is his top priority? The one Chris values the most? Loves the most?

Chris runs his gaze over Piers' face - the strong jaw, wide forehead, full lips. His stomach clenches again and he scowls to himself. No. It isn't the right time to think about this. He can't allow himself to get sidetracked with these distracting thoughts. Stay focused, he tells himself, but acknowledges the truth in Jane Lauren's words. If his partner expresses his desire to go back to work, it won't be Chris' place to deny him. Not unless Piers explicitly asks him for permission.

"You're right." Chris finally says, observing as Jane Lauren sedares his partner once again. "How much more of this?" he motions toward the sedative.

Lauren considers it, looking at her doctor's chart. "With the speed of his recovery so far, I would say we need to give him another three to four hours, just in case. So this will be the last sedative we give him for a while and it's not quite as strong as the ones we were administering yesterday."

Chris huffs under his breath in approval and understanding. "Good. What happens when he wakes up?"

"Hopefully you're here see his face when he realizes he has been cured." Lauren says, giving Chris a smile. She turns to leave the room. "I will have Sally bring a mirror for Piers."

Chris stares after her momentarily, then turns his attention to Piers' heart rate monitor, then finally sits back in the armchair. Just a few more hours, he thinks to himself.

"Chris? ...Chris?"

"Chris."

"Captain!"

Chris shoots up and awake, looking around the room swiftly, his vision blurry. When it clears up, the first thing he sees is Piers sitting up in his bed, his back propped up on a bunch of pillows. Piers is a little pale, but doesn't appear to be tired or distressed. In fact, the expectant look he's giving Chris seems rather lively and confident.

There's two other people in the room - Jane Lauren, who is handing Piers a glass of water and another nurse Chris hasn't met before who is fixing Piers' sheets and - for the lack of a better term - tucking him in.

Piers throws Chris a tiny smirk as Chris gets on his feet to stand by the bed.

"You missed it, captain." Piers says, his tone critisizing but there is also a trace of humour in it. "They let me see myself in the mirror and everything." The younger man says, waving his seemingly perfectly healthy hand in the direction of the large mirror now hanging on the wall.

Chris doesn't know whether to feel guilty for not being awake for it or relieved that everything seems so normal. If he didn't know better, he'd bet this was a dream. "Sorry." He says, meeting the younger man's eyes, beyond happy to see them back to normal.

Piers' strong green gaze holds Chris' as though they're alone in the room, and for a second it feels like everything has changed.


End file.
